Traction and tire-protecting device for automobiles.



A. C. TILGNER-I TRACTION AND TIRE PROTECTING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. IEI 1915, p 1 ff ufi 5 1 9 Patented June a, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

A. c. TILGNER..

mcnow AND we rao'rzcwms DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 13. I915. p

' Patented 511m a, 193 'Z.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

m 2 3 w mm mm 511 n mnacifiooh'on of Letters Patent.

-.'PF,GTECTING DEVIiJE 1 B. AUTOMOBILES.

Fai er-11in all Juno 5. H1 17.

Application filed l riovember 18, 1915. Serial No, 52,140.

To all W/mm ii fH/lj/ (anemia:

liu it l-znon'n ihnt I. zin'riilnn U. TlLGNILR, n i-ilixvn ol' the linihwl Shims, rrsid'ing'nlt Xorihvillu, in tho county of Spinlr and Sillilfi oi Houth Dnhol'n. haw inwnlml new mail usoi'ul IHllHUYL'lHlillr in lrnoiion nnil Tirclroloriin; i)i'\'l'(5 For .Xuionmhilos. of n'hivh tho following is u sporilicution.

'l'lnguwvnl inwniion rolulus to traction 21ml. lire prolooling ilc-rirm for automobiles.

It has for its whit-(fl) in provide. 21 shoe which may ho rmulil nilnohuil lo automobile \Yhi'vls to llH'lllSl l-lw ll'uulion thereof, and. Which. in (YUIli of \lol'lntion of tho tire, will NI'Yl lo support. :Hlll curry lilo loml without ihlnmgv lo Slll'll (i(ll2\ll(l tire.

l 2H'('.()111}'lli: ll his oojoot h providing shoes :ulnplml lo ho li'tl'ml lo on automobile s im-oil i'vlulion nhoul: the (ii-0iunforonco lhorho'l us may he ilrsirnhh, whioh shoes ('UUIPI'lHU n nmin lrm'l ioil xnclnlui'. il sig'nwl lo soul on ihv u'riplinry oi iho tire, nml rein-- tiwly movnhlo l(l0 members. rurriml lay said lnnin irzuiion n'wn'ihrr. which ovorlio tho sides oi [hr tire when ll? is in normal inllntml romlilion. and which are :ulnplorl to auto lnzilivully engage 'lho whuol rim uniil carry the lonil if tho Lire hummus (lolhiicil.

in tho (lrnn'iugs hurvn'ith i have shown one rn'ihoilinwul'. of my invuntion. hul .ii1\\'ill he. umlvrsi'ooil lhnl; such lisolo uiro is illustrative and no[ rhsirivliwu 21s variations in struviuro from that RlmWH in the drawings nml i'lvwrihwl in lhu following specification. may ho nnnh Wlllmlll ilhimriing from my invention.

Figure 1 io siilo vlvrnlion of pnrhof :in nutomohiln whoohwilh my fraction ile- \ifl. applied thoroto.

Fig. i lruusx'vrso svclionnl view on up proxinnltolx' ho lino 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is :1 transverse section on HilbSll2J1- linllv lho Quinn lino o'l' sci-lion us i ig". 9. but illuslrnl'in; lhu voniliiion of lho im mo when lluliru is ili-llnloil. portions. of tho innin nwmhvr l2 lining l'HUlWH away longitudinally Lo (lisuloso llio lhrozuls on tho spurs 1;).

Fig. "l is longiiimlinirl sin-lion o? l ho t mer lion (lovico lo show tho rohition of the main imr'iion momhor 21ml iho sirlo monihorsv Fig. 5 is n .lrzinsrorso section of: iho shoe showing- ;i oligrhl-ly clifl'oroni. Iflli'li0[i of iins- Roning the Clorico to the. tire.

l ig. 6 is a partial transverse section through 21 modified. foi'n'i of my device.

Rforriiigf tol'he drmrings by numerals, ho .hnio numbers indicating the some parts in the se'vcrai \ien's, lfl'dosigmites an auto.- mohil wheel of any usual or (lGSllGCl Con sl'rurlion, hnrin n pneumatic. lire 11, which tiro lri ercurml, us is usual. to :i rim 11-.

The Kl'iltliifiliiltYiCl? which I have. invented zlinl 'nhioh is npplii'nole to the tire shown Elilll l :?('l'il 0(l comprises the main member 12-; proi'iilr-il with u curvmil, fire-receiving soul on its inner hire and having on its outer "fin-v n svrios of projections 14. which may he suppluinvnlvii lrv spurs 15,. sothat n ni1ul lv roan-gripping huri'nco will be {if- :lorilwl. The spurs 15 um be secured to ihiumnlwr iii in any suiinhlo manner, but profornhly the. shanks of the same 3H3 ilu'wulml so the spurs may be readily delnrhml when (lesirerl. I

Th sniil momhrr '13 forms a seat or cradle in whi j'h the tire rosl's. nml roupleti to snitl JHHH KI' 13 are siilo piovvs 16, which, as shown. are Qroowd on ihhir inner faces to vonform to the sides of the tire 11. and are ronnrrlwl in the mmnovr by hinge olenwnls or flexible ronnections 17 so as to permil them to rock relatively with respect in the mvmhor 13.

Shirl shlo-piorvo 16 are so curved and zingzlerl nt lhvir outer edges 1?. which rest. upon thrsiilos 1.9 of the inenihcr 13. as io u-rinii. an inward rocking inorrmenl of the sniil xiilw-pivcvs, from the position shown in Fig. when the tire I! is inflated. to that 'shonn in 3. where l'he iiro i (loiluted.

Pit their inner edges said side-pieces 16' have n rohi iroly.Wiili \rvll-(lviinecl ledge 0r hoaring: suir'hr '20. nhioh, as shown in 3, (!1':1Q"@s"l'l1-zrim 12 of the whooi 10 when the iirv 11 is (lfillzlilkl. so lo'supporb nncl carry tho rim, \vhvvl. and loud. and prevent lo slruol ro weigh! upon the flattened or deihilvil lire. Unrof tho bearing surfaces 20 also engages the rim 12 of fho Wheel 10 when. Hiifih'lll'fi is applied to only one sicle of DIQlHlHfI i3. so that i'urninp: of tho latter :ihoul: tho tire is: pra'ivontod.

Ii; will he RfiCH that the relation of tho.

sirlo pieces 13 lo tho number 13 lR'SllCli ihzit it i:ul'on'miicnll v .lnllo inwardly on collapse of The riro. Willi its lodges or hearing stirfaooo against tho outer Miro of the rim 12, tho curvature and angular rol'inl-ion of the meeting faces of the member 13 and side pieces 16 permitting this inward move ment of said side pieces.

The traction device is secured to the wheel by any suitable means, as straps 21, which may be secured to loops 22 on the side faces of members 13, so that the tension of the straps 21 tends to force the side-pieces 1t inwardlyagainst the tire ll and against the edge of the rim 12.

instead of attachii'ig these holcing straps as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and l they may be secured as illustrated in F. o. in which a rod or bar 23 provided, said bar being designed to be between the projections it on the outer surface of the shoe and having a loop at each end to which the straps are secured.

In Fig. (3 I show a modilied constrimtionof my shoe wherein are provided side pieces 16 which are adapted tomove iiiwardly toward the tire, but in place of mov ing inwardly at their inner edges they are adapted to swing outwardlv oi the wheel and inwardly of each. other at their outer edges when the tire is deflated. in this arrangement. the outer edges 2+ ot the sidepieces 16 do not rest upon the sides of the member 13 but extend 'ithin the concave portion of the member 13. The side-pieces 1b are secured to the member 13 by resih ient straps 17, and the shoe is held in place upon the wheel by the straps 21. all as hereinbefore described. W'hm the tire becomes deflated, the inner edges 20 of the sidepieces 16" are engaged by the rim of the wheel andthe side-pieces move outwardlyend eeward each other into the concave portion of the member 13, this movement being limited by the tire which, although. it may be deflated, has suliicient body or resiliency to resist abnormal distortion and the tire does not collapse completely. sVhcni'ihe tire is inflated it expands and pushes the sidepieces into the full line position shown in i ipf. 6. It iwill be noted that. with this construction the tire acts as a cushion l'ietwcen the side pieces ,1 3 and 'ring upon the rim when the tire is deflated is eliminated, and excessive strains upon the side pieces are avoided.

In applying the devicc,any suitable number oi shoes may be used and they 'n'iay be arranged close together or at such angt'dar neeaeia distance from one another as may bodesirable.

Such departures from the construction herein forth to illustrate my invention as are. obvious mechanical expedients are to be regarded as within the purview thereof.

1. ii. traction device for wheels, comprising a tire-receiving member, side pieces connected with. said member and movable inwardly toward each other, and means for securing said device to a wheel.

2. A. traction device for wheelscompris ing' a tire-receiving member, side pieces hav in rim-engaging ledges hinged to said member and movable inwardly toward each other, and means for securing said device to a wheel.

15. A traction device for wheels comprising a tire-receiving member, hinged side-i pieces having a rocking engagement with said member and movable inwardly toward each other, and means for securing said deto wheel.

5. Jr traction device for wheels comprisin; a tire-receiving member, grooved tireengaging side-pieces hinged to said member and movable inwardly toward each other, Mai-engaging ledges on said side-pieces, and fastening means tending to force said sidepieces inwardly.

6. A traction device for wheels, comprising a tire-receivingmember, rim-engaging sidepieces connected and movable inwardly towardeach other, and a fastening formed of a. rigid bar seated against the outer face of said member, and a flexible connection engaging said side-pieces to secure said device to a. Wheel. 1

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing wit ncsses.

ARTHUR C. TILGNER. 

